Time flies! A few days ago I thought, 'it would be good to write a blog for Advent season this year'. Obviously I am starting a little late! (P S: Just realized 12/10 that Advent started on December 3, so I wasn't late after all!)
December 3 is a special day to me. December 3, 1908 was the year my father was born. 115 years ago! Honoring the date of his birth is an annual observation.
I do not believe Jesus was born in the winter. I used to think he was most likely born in the Spring - but after listening to teaching by a Rabbi named Mark Biltz, there is pretty strong evidence Jesus was born in the Fall - likely in September or October during the Feast of Tabernacles. The more important issue for us is that we DO remember (whatever day it is that we honor Him) and that we celebrate His coming the first time as a sweet little baby - and anticipate His Second Coming when He will return as the conquering hero on his white horse.
But beginnings are where we are today. And sweet young Mary is on my mind. Mary, a young woman who was betrothed to Joseph. We know she was a virgin. (We conjecture about a lot of the rest of the details.) Luke 1 tells us the story of Gabriel's visit to Mary when her considerably older relative, Elizabeth, wife of Zechariah, was in her 6th month of pregnancy with a baby to be named John (John the Baptist): (ESV)
26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin's name was Mary.28 And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”
34 And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God.” 38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.
While it is true that the Jews were looking for the Messiah, they expected Him to come as a conqueror, an avenger who would rescue them from the evils they suffered under Roman rule. They didn't expect Him to come as a little baby, and even if that thought had occurred to them, they would have expected Him to be born into a royal household, not to a poor peasant. After all, he was to be of the house and lineage of David.
Even so, Mary amazes me. She didn't decline the role she was called to. She didn't even ask, "Why me?" She merely asked "How will this be since I am a virgin?" She didn't ask for a few days to pray about it, and take time to consider the cost of how she'd be perceived - or even the possibility that Joseph might not believe her story. She just said yes! "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word."
I look forward to meeting Mary!
I mentioned His Second Coming when He will come back as the conquering hero on His white horse! At His Second Coming He will come as the avenger the Jewish faithful have anticipated. What a day that will be!
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